Customer Reviews

Madhur Jaffrey's Spice Kitchen: Fifty Recipes Introducing Indian Spices and Aromatic Seeds

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I received this book in a East Indian spice kit almost 8 yrs. ago. Since then, I have accumulated 6 more books on Indian cuisine...my favorite still continues to be 'M.J.'s the Spice Kitchen'. The recipes take longer that the average american cook likes to spend but these are mouth watering...and remember this is the way cooking is done in India (I've tryed the shortcuts with the pressure cooker,etc. results shift to just good) I beleive the spice interplays need the long cook time...there is just no comparison using the faster cooking methods. Also Madhur Jaffrey is sensitive to the american palatte regarding heat. But do be aware that any recipe that uses raw chilis and cayenne will be hot! A good recipe from the book is the Lamb in Tomato sauce as the heat comes mostly from the black pepper and is added at the end. Enjoy!

This little book is a wonderful introduction to Indian spices. Some of the ingredients will be difficult to locate, but Jaffrey takes the time to explain the origin and uses of everything in detail. Most recipes are not quick, but the ones I've tried are scrummy. It's illustrated by the author throughout, and is beautifully designed. A great gift for someone interested in Indian cooking

This is the absolutley best introduction to Indian cooking out there. We have made every one of the 50 recipes and they are fabulous! If you have ever been curious about Indian cuisine and didn't know where to start, this is it!!!

I reviewed another of Jaffrey's books here, and mentioned a book on Indian spices was needed. I thought I had every one of her books, but this little one had escaped me. This book is great. It allows you to research the spices needed for cooking so you can make a list to shop on [...] or other site to get exotic spices at decent prices. Still, the book doesn't really talk about how, say, curry recipes are personal. Evidently, people mix their own for family preferences, various meats or vegetables. I guess you just need to get familiar enough to experiment, and I'm a long way from that place.
This is what I would call a handbook (although it has many good recipes) that should take a spot right next to all your Indian cookbooks. Get this and keep it handy.

I discovered Madhur Jaffrey's Spice Kitchen book when it appeared as a box set gift which included 10 small tins of the crucia required Indian spices. I gave it to my son who became famous among his friends for his cooking. Since that time, I have never seen the same presentation but I have often tracked down the book and collected the requisite spices and it has been an amazingly popular gift. Better still, all the recipients have indeed continued to explore Indian and related cuisines over the years. The book itself is very straight forward, recipes are easy and the results are always more impressive than one expects.Madhur Jaffery is famous in the realm of Indian cooking but this little book shows her ability to reach down to people who would never believe they could produce such results.